FTC accuses H&R Block of deceiving customers

A federal agency is accusing H&R Block of deceiving customers.

The Federal Trade Commission says the tax prep company pushed some taxpayers to use more expensive products than they needed and then, made it inconvenient for them to switch if they wanted.

More specifically, the FTC says the business made the consumers contact customer service to downgrade and erase all of the tax information the people had already filled out. So they’d have to start over.

The agency says that, on the other hand, when customers upgraded to more expensive products, their data transferred seamlessly.

H&R Block sent Action 9′s Jason Stoogenke a statement saying it offers “fair and transparent pricing.”

The chief legal officer at H&R Block went on to say that the company “allows consumers to downgrade to a less-expensive DIY Product via multiple mechanisms while ensuring the preparation of accurate tax returns.”

Full statement from Dara Redler, chief legal Officer, H&R Block:

“We believe we provide our clients with a great deal of value, unmatched tax expertise, and fair and transparent pricing. We are confident in the value our services and offerings provide to our clients who have trusted H&R Block for nearly 70 years. H&R Block has offered a free DIY filing option for more than 20 years to help millions of Americans file their taxes. The multitude of resources we offer to all filers via educational resources, free tools, and calculators, and The Tax Institute demonstrates our commitment to making filing your taxes more accessible and more transparent for all. Further, H&R Block allows consumers to downgrade to a less-expensive DIY Product via multiple mechanisms while ensuring the preparation of accurate tax returns.”

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